With tension gathering in the air, the game started fast and very physical. Although a lot of players on both teams knew each other, they were not friends for the remaining 80-plus minutes.

Watertown was the better team for the start of the first half. The Raiders were rewarded with the lead after a cracking header from captain Luke Murphy. Alex Egan crossed the ball into the box straight to Murphy, who would capitalize, making it 1-0.

The Raiders did not stop there. They kept up the pressure and soon after doubled there lead with a penalty. Paulo Costa, who is now a starter, danced through the Belmont defense and got dragged down. Although the Marauders keeper took forever to get ready, as a tactic to put Rodrigo Freitas off, it didn’t work and he scored to make it 2-0.

As expected, the rest of the half stayed physical as neither team let up. Shoving after the whistle and behind the backs of the referees was present in this game.

The first half ended with the Raiders leading, 2-0. With Watertown looking more the happy side, both teams still knew they had to improve as the second half started.

Belmont came out flying in the second half as the Marauders scored straight away, a sublime volley into the bottom corner cutting the deficit in half.

However, the rest of the half was all Watertown. Belmont’s midfield was nonexistent as Watertown claimed it. The Raiders kept getting opportunities and were looking for that third goal to sweep Belmont away. They would get it through Gevork Karapetyan. Egan swung in a beautiful free kick straight to Karapetyan, who would finish it, exactly like Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 500th career goal.

Video by William Egan

Watertown’s players knew they had the win secured, but they weren’t satisfied as they wanted to show up Belmont in front of their own fans. The goal that would do that came from Murphy.

Another cross from Egan went onto Murphy’s head and he would finish from 10 yards out, leaving the keeper planted into the ground.

The game would end soon after, as the Watertown erupted in pride. To finish the game, the Raiders huddled around the corner flag, a tradition made a long time ago during the youth soccer years.

Watertown’s next game is Monday, Oct. 8, at Victory Field against Woburn. The game starts at 2 p.m., so come out and support the team on Columbus Day afternoon.

Raider Times photo / Jeffrey BeggRodrigo Freitas (right) and Paulo Costa celebrate with dancing — which they planned before the match — after Freitas converted a penalty to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead at Belmont on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018.